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njnh
United Kingdom
388 Posts |
 Posted - 06/04/2020 : 15:07:17
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Does anyone have a spare piece of aluminium sheet large enough for me to make a J2 dashboard? I want to make my own dashboard to include rev counter and boost gauge etc.
Nigel H
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gsrun
United Kingdom
180 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2020 : 16:20:35
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Hi Nigel,
I have aluminium dashboard material - give me a call on 0141 942 4228 or email at gsrun@rocketmail.com
Regards
Graham R.
J2598 |
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Nick Dean
United Kingdom
440 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2020 : 20:46:45
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If you are engine turning the dashboard, I made up a tool, bottle cork proud approx. 1/8th inch in a piece of copper pipe, soldered in a boss at the back. Marked out dash in lines and with a guide bar using parrafin and fine grinding paste, set it up in the pillar drill. all worked and looked fine on the J" I rebuilt some years ago.. good luck, Nick.
N A Dean |
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njnh
United Kingdom
388 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2020 : 19:09:17
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Thanks Graham, I will give you a call.
Nick, I like your bottle cork idea - plenty around now we are in lockdown!
Nigel H |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6023 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2020 : 19:17:13
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Just a suggestion when doing a dash for the F2/J2/L2 - don't lacquer it and give it a glossy finish. Just leave it to weather, like was done originally.
Simon J
J3437 |
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Richard Hardy
United Kingdom
2143 Posts |
Posted - 12/04/2020 : 00:38:31
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Simon, don’t forget, this was a relatively cheap car in its day and these cars were far from perfect when they left the factory, scuttle side dents, very poor flash chroming to components, thinly and poorly plated spare wheel carriers etc. Standards of restoration have generally gone well beyond these early levels of presentation, from standard of paint finish, good heavy chrome plating, the use of polished stainless even, or fitting indicator lights / LEDs, cast iron brake drums etc etc.
These cars were originally built with a factory forecasted lifespan of around 7 years. The standard of restorations these days is substantially higher than now when they rolled off the production line. Everything was built to a cost. This includes your car compared to how it is now presented.
I personally, would recommend laquering if indeed you are building a car for both road and show, otherwise, the aluminium will lose its shine and will be prone to scuffs, light scratches and water staining through everyday use. Is it not like saying, don’t bother feeding the new leatherwork, so it ages and scuffs more quickly. Nothing wrong with this either.
If enthusiasts do go down the laquer finish route, this must be applied after every instrument and screw hole has been finish machined. Do it is done afterwards and water may be prone to creeping under the lacquer film.
It all depends of course on what the restorer is looking to gain in terms of finish at the end of a costly restoration. The enthusiast needs to decide how they wish their car to look in the future and, if selling, how others may expect to see it presented if being asked to pay a premium through a sale scenario. Is it any different to regularly applying a wax finish to your paintwork as opposed to not really looking after it, or commissioning poor thin flash chroming to components. How many reports in the day were there of plating flaking off spare wheel carriers, quite a few to the point some came back under waranty painted!!
Fair comment Simon?
Rich
Vintage MG Parts |
Edited by - Richard Hardy on 12/04/2020 09:20:31 |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6023 Posts |
Posted - 12/04/2020 : 08:09:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Hardy
the aluminium will lose its shine and will be prone to scuffs, light scratches and water staining through everyday use.
Exactly the point I was trying to make, Rich, but each to their own.
Simon J
J3437 |
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rossk
United Kingdom
495 Posts |
Posted - 12/04/2020 : 12:31:15
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Nigel if you want to make up a template in 6mm plywood and send it to me I can get you one water jet cut out which will save a lot of work.
Ross Keeling |
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njnh
United Kingdom
388 Posts |
Posted - 13/04/2020 : 09:33:10
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Ross,
Thank you for your offer. There is a water jet cutting company quite close to my home and I will probably sound them out first. If no luck, I will take up your kind offer.
I intend to try using a Cratex abrasive stick for the engine turning. Does anyone happen to have a spare stick they might sell? I can make up my own mandrel.
All the best
Nigel H |
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PimL1
Netherlands
117 Posts |
Posted - 14/04/2020 : 20:13:21
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The job with the engine turning is a great job. My late friend Theun Hoogmoed made several,of them. Tip: make a proof on a small piece of aluminium. Try to find out at what angle you have to use to get the correct shine. If you want, I can send a close picture of the dash of my L1 which was made by Theun. Everybody was astonished how he did that.
Pim
L1/0491 |
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Bruce Sutherland
United Kingdom
1552 Posts |
Posted - 14/04/2020 : 22:05:23
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There are many alloys & grades of aluminium, and in sheet form - here are a few:
Aluminium sheet (extract from Wikipedia)
The four most common aluminium grades available as sheet metal are 1100-H14, 3003-H14, 5052-H32, and 6061-T6.
Grade 1100-H14 is commercially pure aluminium, highly chemical and weather resistant. It is ductile enough for deep drawing and weldable, but has low strength. It is commonly used in chemical processing equipment, light reflectors, and jewellery.
Grade 3003-H14 is stronger than 1100, while maintaining the same formability and low cost. It is corrosion resistant and weldable. It is often used in stampings, spun and drawn parts, mail boxes, cabinets, tanks, and fan blades.
Grade 5052-H32 is much stronger than 3003 while still maintaining good formability. It maintains high corrosion resistance and weldability. Common applications include electronic chassis, tanks, and pressure vessels.
Grade 6061-T6 is a common heat-treated structural aluminium alloy. It is weldable, corrosion resistant, and stronger than 5052, but not as formable. It loses some of its strength when welded. It is used in modern aircraft structures.
Grade 3003-H14 would seem to be a good bet for a dashboard.
Bruce. (PB0564) |
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George Eagle
United Kingdom
3230 Posts |
Posted - 15/04/2020 : 11:49:03
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I used dural for the dashboard on the L2, it is strong and does not require any form of coating.
Cutting the holes was a challenge, I managed to borrow an appropriate cutting tool which required quite a lot of effort but worth it in the end. The engine turning was done on my milling machine. I did drop a "stitch" in one place but it is difficult to spot. 
George
L2023
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Edited by - George Eagle on 15/04/2020 11:51:51 |
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Brian Watson
United Kingdom
188 Posts |
Posted - 15/04/2020 : 18:59:40
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"I did drop a "stitch" in one place but it is difficult to spot."
Lockdown challenge for tomorrow!
Brian |
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